


Rescues

by iamjacksblindrage



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Anal Sex, Brian's a scientist and he cares for his boys, F/M, Gen, Human Trafficking, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Past Sexual Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-08-22 22:31:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 10,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8303617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamjacksblindrage/pseuds/iamjacksblindrage
Summary: Brian finds the American Trafficking System deplorable  -- so how does he rebel?  He buys boys for the sake of caring for them.





	1. Chapter 1

Dan is skittish and scarce when they bring him up for auction. He's poorly kept and he's visibly older than the other sales of the day. He has a pretty face, but there's a lot of work to be done to get to that pretty face, and he's nearly old enough to age out of the trade system and into either forced labor or prostitution. The bids stall at $1,000 - a shameful amount. Brian immediately steps in, raises the bid to $2,500 and heads out to meet his newest purchase. Dan doesn't say a word, keeps his eyes down and fights against fidgeting. His dirty, scraggly curls have been hastily tied back in a bun, exposing wide ears and emphasizing how thin he is. Brian circles him and looks him over before paying up for the man and leading him away from the crowds. Dan doesn't relax, even in the back seat of Brian's car. 

At the house, the other boys scramble to meet the new addition, but Brian shoos them all away and leads Dan into one of the more spacious bathrooms in the house. It's with gentle hands that he guides Dan into the bath tub and scrubs him down and washes his hair. Dan still doesn't relax even then. Against his better judgement, Brian makes the decision to shave Dan's scraggly beard. It's starting to grey, especially around his mouth, and Brian's heart breaks, because his grey hair has probably been a source of great pain for the man. Dan sits surprisingly still for him, and with a clean, smooth face, he loses 10 years.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Brian tries to reassure him. He gives Dan a pair of loose sweats and an old tee and lets the man dress himself. Dan relaxes a bit then, seemingly reassured by Brian's actions. Brian wouldn't dare force Dan to wander the house nude, nor would he ever try to manhandle one of his boys into clothing.

"You're really not gonna hurt me?" Dan's voice shakes and cracks when he speaks and Brian's heart breaks.

"Of course not, Leigh."

"It's Danny," he mumbles, looking down at his hands. Brian strokes Dan's damp hair away from his face and cups his cheek with a gentle palm.

"Danny," Brian confirms, nodding. "You have nothing to worry about here, Danny. I'm going to take good care of you, I promise."

Danny sits himself cross-legged on the floor when Brian grabs for a comb, and lets his new owner detangle his curls with kind fingers. Brian is gentler than anyone had ever been with him, not since his mother when he was a child, but now that he thought about it, he wasn't even sure what she sounded like anymore. It had been nearly 20 years since he'd seen her.

By the time Brian's done, Dan is starting to doze, leaning back against Brian's shins. Brian doesn't want to rouse him, but he needs to get the man to bed or they'll both wake up sore as hell. Brian leans down at kisses the top of Dan's head.

"Hey, sweetheart, it's time for bed," he murmurs in Dan's ear, and the man jerks away, suddenly tense. "Hey hey shh, it's ok, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll be good," Dan pants, scrambling away from Brian and keeping his eyes downcast.

"Hey, Danny, shhh," Brian urges, his voice soft as he lows himself down to Dan's level. "I'm not going to hurt you, you're not in trouble, honey."

"I-I fell asleep o-on M-master, tha-ats b-bad," Dan stammers. Brian has to shove down his rage, trying not to startle the man any further. It ends up coming out as a thousand yard stare, not that Dan sees it, his head downturned.

"I don't know who told you that, but there's nothing wrong with you falling asleep on me," Brian assures. "I want you to be able to trust me enough to fall asleep around me, ok? I want you to know you’re safe."

Dan nods shyly, and looks up at Brian through his eyelashes. Brian offers a hand to Dan and helps the man to his feet.

"C'mon, I'll show you to your room."

"M-my room?" Dan questions, furrowing his brow.

"Yeah, your room, baby. You get to have your own room with your own big comfy bed. There's a lock on your door, on the inside, so you can keep me or any of the boys out. I have a key for it, but I'll only use it if you give me reason to believe you might hurt yourself, ok?"

Dan nods nervously and follows Brian along upstairs. There's a long hall of doors, and Dan can hear various noises behind each. A couple sound like music, and some others sound like conversation. Finally, at the far end, Brian opens a door on the left and gestures for Dan to enter.

The walls are a soft blue and there's a set of large glass doors on one side of the room that lead out onto a balcony, overlooking Brian's property. The bed in the center is massive, bigger than anything Dan had ever seen before, with a mass of pillows at the head. A big oak dresser sits opposite to the bed, and there's a flat glass and plastic panel sitting atop it. On the side table by the bed, another small, flat rectangle of glass and metal sits. Dan furrows his eyebrows at both, and wanders over to the panel on the dresser and lets his fingers ghost along the edge.

"What is this?" he asks softly, looking confusedly at Brian. Brian looks back at him, an equal amount of confusion on his face.

"It's a television. Haven't you ever seen one before?"

Dan returns his attention to inspecting the TV.

"Not since I was a kid. We had a massive CRT in our living room. They didn’t look anything like this. I haven't really seen much of the outside world since I got sold off."

Brian moves into the room and closes the door behind him. He sits on a comfortable looking arm chair in the corner that Dan hadn't seen at first glance.

"When were you sold into the system?" Brian asks, his voice soft. 

"1995? I think? I was 17. I didn't finish high school. I'm not sure my parents ever found out what happened to me. They probably think I'm dead."

"You don't have to tell me what happened, but if you feel comfortable, I'll gladly listen." Brian's hands are clasped between his knees, watching Dan stride around the room. He picks up the iPhone from the bed side table and starts to flip it over and over in his hands and he shrugs, not looking at Brian.

"I was picked up off the streets in Newark. I mean, a bunch of white kids trying to buy pot in Newark is a bad scene anyways, but I was always scrawny and tall and I guess I was pretty enough to be taken. Next thing I know, I'm halfway across the country, with a politician in Chicago."

"I promise that'll never happen to you again," Brian says, jaw clenched. "I'll take care of you. And you're not going to be isolated from the outside world anymore, ok? That's a phone you're holding, and you can pretty much search for any information you'd ever want with that. And if you want, I'm sure we can get in touch with your parents."

Dan nods, a little sadly, and tries to figure out how to turn on the phone in his hands.

"Can I show you?" Brian asks, and Dan nods, handing the phone over to Brian. Brian hits the home button and the screen lights up. Brian explains how the touch screen works and tells him the battery needs to be charged fairly often and shows him where Brian's phone number is and how to make a call or send a text - and as an afterthought, he shows Dan how voice-to-text works, to simplify texting a little bit for him. After Dan's settled under the covers, his phone plugged in and set on the night stand, Brian leans down and presses a soft kiss to Dan's forehead.

"I'll introduce you to the boys tomorrow morning, ok? I'll come and get you when breakfast is ready."

Dan nods and Brian lets himself out of the room, flipping the light off as he leaves. The door clicks softly behind him.

Brian makes his rounds to the boys on his way to bed. He notices the light is still on in Matt and Ryan's room, and ducks his head in to check in on the boys. They're sitting up, talking softly, hands tangled between them on one bed.

"You two should be asleep." Both boys jump at the sound of Brian's voice, but smile sheepishly at their caretaker. "C'mon, in bed, lights out."

"Yes, sir," they chorus, clambering under the covers together and letting Brian switch their light off behind him.

Barry's light is off, but Brian eases the door open anyway. The boy is fiddling with his phone, but he's under the covers and his glasses are settled on his night stand, so Brian leaves him be and closes the door softly.

Ross is still up when Brian checks on him, staring intently at the computer monitor before him, focusing on some drawing. Brian comes up behind him and slips his headphones off before kissing Ross's head.

"Don't stay up too late, okay?"

Ross nods and tips his head back, accepting a kiss from the older man. His focus immediately turns back to the screen and Brian ruffles his hair before leaving him be.

Arin's not in his own room, and Brian frowns, but quickly finds him in Brian's own bed.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" Arin asks, his voice soft. He already has a Breathe-Right strip adhered to his nose and his hair is gathered up in a ponytail. He looks a little sad, a little lost, a look Brian hates seeing on his boy's face, and he meets Arin for a hug and kisses him gently.

"Of course, baby, c'mon." The two settle in, side-by-side, with Arin tucked up against Brian's side. Arin is soft and warm and Brian falls asleep easy with him beside him.


	2. Chapter 2

Brian's alarm wakes him the next morning. Though, unfortunately, it wakes Arin too. The young man groans and buries himself under the covers, and Brian can't help but chuckle and kiss his head before rolling out of bed to start the day.

Barry shuffles into the kitchen when the smell of coffee wafts upstairs. His glasses are haphazardly shoved onto his face and he greets Brian with a kiss that tastes like sleep and makes himself a cup of coffee before he settles down at his spot at the kitchen table. Arin's the next to emerge, slightly more put together than Barry, though not by much. He, too, greets Brian with a kiss and sits in his seat. Ross is next, eyes barely open. His kiss is sloppy and uncoordinated and he all but falls into his seat next to Barry. Ryan and Matt cut it close, turning up just as Brian's putting the finishing touches on that morning's breakfast scramble, and simultaneously press sweet kisses to Brian's cheeks. Brian instructs Arin to make sure none of the others sneak into the breakfast before he returns with Dan before he jogs up the stairs.

Dan's standing on the balcony when Brian lets himself in. A gentle breeze is making his curls flutter around his face, some catching on his jaw and ears. Brian notices the grey starting to appear in his hair and he frowns, having not noticed it the night before under dim fluorescent lights. 

"Good morning, beautiful, breakfast is ready." Dan whirls around, but visibly relaxes when he sees Brian, and follows his master downstairs to the kitchen, where the other boys are waiting. Ross in particular is being antsy, but he stills when he sees Brian enter the room.

"Boys, this is Danny, he's our new boy. You're going to be extra kind to him, ok?" Ross can feel Brian's gaze burning a hole in his skull, so he nods frantically. Brian goes around the table and introduces each of his boys to Dan, before directing Dan to the last empty chair at the table. He serves up a hefty plate for all 6 of his boys before he takes his own plate and hops up on the kitchen counter to eat and watch over the boys. The table is only big enough to hold 6 without the extra leaf, so he sits back, out of the way, and observes the boys as they talk.

Arin starts talking to Dan almost immediately. His voice is low and soft, obviously trying not to startle him in any way. Arin had been the gatekeeper of sorts since the beginning. He was the one to ease the new boys into their new environment, had been a mentor of sorts to all of Brian's boys. He lets a gentle hand rest on Dan's arm for a long moment, and Dan doesn't flinch away from him, and Brian is a bit surprised, to be honest.

Ross teases him, softly. It's not Ross's usual tormenting, though. This is a lot more jovial and sweet than normal, and to be honest, Brian's surprised the boy even listened to him. Dan doesn’t seem at all perturbed by this, though, so Brian doesn't step in to stop Ross from being a menace. 

Ryan and Matt are quiet at their end of the table, still unsure about the newcomer. They themselves had just become adjusted to their new home and their newfound freedoms, and anything new still made them a tad nervous. Dan's also quite a bit older, and that's also a surefire way to get their nerves going. Barry keeps their attention as best as possible to make them relax, but their hands still remain tangled between them below the table.

After everyone's finished, Brian sets his plate on the counter, next to the sink.

"Arin, honey, will you show Dan around the house and the grounds?" Arin nods and smiles, before gesturing for Dan to follow him out of the kitchen as he heads in the direction of the living room. "Matt, Ryan, it's your turn to wash dishes." Both boys groan, but the moment they see Brian's stern face, they get to their feet and rush to collect the breakfast dishes and start cleaning. Ross and Barry get up and wander off upstairs after a few moments, and Brian lets himself go to his study and get some work done, his door wide open. 

There's a huge whiteboard along one wall of the study that Brian has an equation in progress drawn up on. He spends a few minutes doing some simpler warm-up equations, just to get back in the groove of things, before he sets himself in front of the board and starts working through the new equation.

It's a knock on his door that brings his attention away from his math for a moment. A quick glance down at his watch shows him he's been standing there for nearly 3 hours, so he's not surprised one of the boys had come looking for him. Standing in the doorway is Dan, who's carrying a plate of food.

"Arin made lunch for you," he says, his voice so soft that Brian barely hears him. He's quick to swipe the plate up from Dan's grasp, set it on his desk, and return to kiss the corner of Dan's mouth and thank him. Dan stiffens a bit, like he's expecting more, but relaxes when Brian retreats to his desk to eat.

"Have you eaten yet?" Brian asks, making to take a bite out of his sandwich, but setting it back down when he sees Dan shake his head. "Why not?"

"Master eats first," Dan states, plaintively. His hands are clasped behind his back and his head is tipped down. Brian hasn't seen anyone so submissive since Arin came to him. "I don't eat until Master says I can."

"C'mere Danny," Brian urges, and Dan moves immediately to Brian's side and sinks to his knees fluidly. His hands quickly return to their spot at the small of his back and his head turns back down. Brian sighs and, with gentle fingers, tips his chin up so their eye to eye.

"I know you've spent a long time being taught to be obedient in the fucking worst ways, but you don't need to be doing that anymore. That sort of nonsense doesn't fly in this house. Don't worry about me, ok? Look after yourself first."

Dan nods silently, avoiding eye contact as best he can. Brian doesn't force him, let's his eyes drift to a point just over Brian's shoulder.

"Go eat," Brian instructs, and waits until Dan's retreated from the room to slump back into his chair and sigh, covering his face with his hands. It's going to take him a long time to get through decades of conditioning.


	3. Chapter 3

The first time Dan's exposed to any sort of sexual act in the house, it's an accident. Brian's study is closed up, but he's used to letting himself in so he can sit at Brian's feet quietly while he works. He opens the door, however, to see Brian with his pants around his ankles and Arin in his lap, wearing a tiny black skirt and a pair of lacy pink panties and nothing else. It takes a moment to process the fact that Brian's buried balls deep in Arin's ass, and Arin's moaning softly. Dan flushes bright red, and in his jeans, his cock twitches with arousal. Before the other men can notice him, he slips back out of the room and beats a hasty retreat to his room, where he locks the door and touches himself willingly for the first time in years.

It happens again, just a week later. Brian is leaning against the counter in the kitchen, and it takes a second for Dan to notice Ross kneeling at his feet. Ross has his nose pressed against the scratchy hair between Brian's cock and his belly button, his throat working around the head. Brian is choking down moans and murmuring praise. Dan chokes on a whimper, and Brian's head shoots up, eyes wide.

"Jesus, Danny, you scared me," Brian sighs, stroking fingers through Ross's hair. Danny can't help the magnetism he feels, approaching Brian steadily. He meets Brian for a breathless kiss - their first kiss, in fact. Brian let's out a little surprised noise and returns the kiss, whimpering into Dan's mouth. Dan pulls away suddenly though, and drops to his knees.

"Baby, you don't have to," Brian urges, but Dan pushes in when Ross surfaces for a breath and drags his tongue up the underside of Brian's cock. Brian moans when Dan's lips close around the head of his cock and he swirls his tongue. Finally though, he pulls back and shares Brian's dick like a lollipop with Ross, their tongues tangling and lips meeting around his length.

"Fuck, I'm gonna come," Brian gasps out his warning, and Dan makes a hasty move to close his mouth around the head of Brian's cock while he comes, lapping gently at the underside.

"I wanted a taste," Ross whines when Dan pulls off Brian's cock, a thin strand of saliva connecting his lip to the head. Dan rolls his eyes and hauls Ross in for a kiss, shoving his tongue and about half Brian's load into Ross's mouth. Ross moans in surprise and relaxes into Dan's hold. Above them, Brian hums happily and tangles his fingers in Dan's hair. Dan tenses, but quickly relaxes when Brian's touch doesn't turn harsh. 

"You two are so pretty," Brian murmurs. Dan pulls back from Ross and tips his head to kiss Brian's bare wrist in thanks.

"Thank you, Master," he mumbles, more out of habit than anything. Brian frowns at him.

"Don't," Brian whispers, and now Ross is frozen on the floor, too, and he realizes he's got two submissive fearing for their safety at the moment, and he swears under his breath and hastily tucks his flaccid dick away in his pants and kneels down to hold them close to him.

"I'm sorry, I'm not gonna hurt you," he murmurs, stroking a hand up and down Dan's back and another through Ross's silky hair. "I didn't mean to scare you two." Ross all but falls limp against Brian's side. It takes Danny a little longer to relax, prepared for punishment regardless of Brian's words. Finally, though, the two calm down and let Brian comfort them the best he can.


	4. Chapter 4

Dan has been with them for 4 months, and is making great strides towards good mental health, when he has a sudden back slide.

Brian mentions during dinner that it's about time for haircuts - Matt and Ross especially are getting pretty shaggy - and Dan drops his fork and shoves himself away from the table without a sound. Brian leaves Arin in charge of the boys while he goes after Dan.

He finds the thin man heaving over the toilet in the downstairs bathroom. Brian comes up behind him and pulls his hair out of the way and tries to rub Dan's back soothingly. Dan, however, is having none of it, and pulls away from Brian's touch.

"D-don't, please, don't, no, no no no, don't make me," Dan whimpers breathlessly, and gags and heaves once more, spitting up bile into the toilet.

"Baby, I'm not making you do anything, what's going on?" Brian asks, concerned, not daring to approach Dan and make him feel cornered.

"Don't make me cut my hair," Dan sobs, and tears are running down his face now and he's sniffling. "Please, I look so much older with my hair short, don't make me cut it."

"You don't have to cut your hair, honey. You could use a trim, just to keep your hair healthy, but you don't have to do anything you don't want." Dan falls limp, and lets Brian gather him in his arms and comfort him. "Don't feel like you have to look young for me, though," Brian murmurs in Dan's hair. "You don't need to worry about looking young for me, ever. You're nearly as old as I am, and look how grey I am. You don't have to work yourself up about your age or your appearance."

"I'm almost 40," Dan whimpers, burying his face in Brian's chest. "I should be dead by now. Or living in a whore house. Not here, in the lap of luxury. I don't deserve this, I'm too old, I'm too old for you."

Brian grips Dan's head with firm hands and tilts his head back so they're looking each other in the eye.

"Your age does not determine your worth," Brian tells him through gritted teeth. "You're my boy, and you always will be, no matter how old you get. If you want to leave, I'll never stop you, but you always have a bed and three square meals if you stay, no strings attached. I didn't pick you up for the sex, that's never been why I buy boys. I buy them to give them a chance. The ones that look like they particularly need a kind, loving hand to guide them to their dreams. That's why I'm here. That's why I do what I do. I love you guys, so much, but I don't buy for sex appeal or my own needs or wants. Arin came to me as a gift. Ross had an attitude problem that would have gotten him killed sooner or later. Barry, Ryan and Matt were all soft and young and new, scared of what their lives were about to become. You were about to enter the spiral of aging out of the system. But your age will never make me kick you out or hurt you, okay?"

Dan nods slowly, tears still streaming down his face. Brian tears off some toilet paper from the roll next to him and dries his boy's cheeks, before throwing it in the toilet and flushing it and the vomit away. Brian sends Dan off to brush his teeth, but not before asking if Dan had an appetite. Dan shook his head, his lower lip wobbling and his hands still trembling. Brian kisses his cheek and tells him to get comfy for the night, to not feel obligated to rejoin the family. Dan thanks him quietly and slips from the bathroom with nary a sound. Brian finds him in the master bedroom later on, snuggled down against Brian's pillow, sleeping peacefully.

When Brian takes the boys to get haircuts the following week, Dan tags along, his collar clasped around his throat, and gets his hair trimmed up. The hairdresser promises to only take off the dead ends after Brian explains the situation, and then Brian sits within Dan's line of sight the entire time. He does well - he doesn't cry or panic, though he has to close his eyes a few times and take a few steady breaths. Afterwards, he tucks himself under Brian's arm while they wait for the rest of the boys to be finished.


	5. Chapter 5

Arin and Barry accompany Brian to an auction just after Thanksgiving. Dan had stayed home with Matt and Ryan, because the three were still very uncomfortable with the idea of returning to any auction, with good reason. Dan had planned to decorate for Hanukkah and Christmas with the two, while Ross visited a few friends just down the road.

Lot 6 was a young man, probably between Arin and Barry in age. He was soft looking, almost boyish, despite being listed as 27. His face is flushed red when he's paraded in front of the crowd in nothing but a standard white gown. His olive skin is pale, and Brian sees ink tattooed into his skin here and there. Arin nudges Brian, and Brian nods in response, and bids on him straight away. He wins the lot by a long shot.

Lot 22 is an anomaly - a girl. Girls weren't brought into auctions nearly as often as boys, simply because people were disinclined to let go of their girls. This girl was a slip of a thing, her gown hanging off her slim shoulders. Her dark hair is braided back away from her face, and she keeps her head down the entire time she's in front of the audience. Arin's face opens with awe, and that's all it takes for Brian's hand, gripping paddle #54, to shoot into the air. He has to fight hard to get her, but he does win the bid, in the end.

Brian brings the boys back with him when he goes to collect his new buys. Lot 6 is first. He's curled up on the floor under the large printed number six. His entire body is trembling, and Brian lowers himself down onto the floor next to him, Barry and Arin kneeling behind him, staring openly at the boy.

"Hey, sweetie," Brian greets, his voice low and soft, reaching tentatively for the boy. He allows Brian to stroke a gentle hand over his short hair. "What's your name?"

"63901," the boy responds, face closed off, eyes empty. He's still trembling, even though Brian's trying to calm him.

"No, no, darling, what's your name? Not your ID, that doesn't matter anymore," Arin chimes in from behind Brian, his hair swept back to proudly display his collar. His was unusual - the leather was hot pink, and a heart shaped tag hung from the front, not unlike a dog. The tag read 'Baby Girl.' Next to him, Barry's was much more standard, though his tag read 'Baby Bear' rather than Barry. Vernon eyes them carefully.

"I-I'm Vernon," he responds, voice tremoring. When Brian offers him a hand, he takes it, and lets Brian help him to his feet. 

"Vernon, this is Barry," Brian says, with a hand on Vernon's shoulder. "You stick close to Barry until we get to the car, ok?"

Vernon nods obediently, and when Barry offers him a hand, he takes it. Arin follows up the rear, keeping an eye on Vernon and Barry as well, as they make their way further back to their other purchase of the day.

The girl is also flopped over on her side on the floor, though her hands are cuffed behind her back. Brian can see anger exuding from every one of her pores. She's limp, however, like she's mildly sedated. After motioning for Arin to step forward and start talking to the girl, Brian drags the guard standing over her a few feet away before getting in his face.

"What the fuck did you do to her?" Brian growls, holding onto the front of the man's shirt. "And who gave you permission to do so?"

"Sir, she was being belligerent, so we had to give her a diluted tranquilizer to calm her down."

"Excuse me, but do you see how small she is?" Brian gesticulates wildly towards where Arin is kneeling over the girl. "There's no reason why you'd need to give her a tranquilizer, you're a grown fucking man! You can handle her without drugging her or hurting her, I'm sure! You have no idea how she'll react to the sedatives!"

"Sir-"

"Uncuff her. Now."

The guard nods solemnly and steps over to the girl and unlocks the cuffs from around her wrists. She's still lax, but once her arms are free, Arin helps her loosen up her arms and he props her up in his lap.

"Hey, sweet girl, can you hear me?" Brian murmurs, kneeling down next to her and Arin. She nods sluggishly, her eyes fluttering open to look up at Brian. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Suzy," she slurs. She still seems drowsy and unfocused, but she can respond, so Brian's hopeful.

"Alright, Suzy, I'm gonna pick you up, okay?" Suzy nods, vaguely, so Brian supports her shoulders with one arm and he hooks the other under her knees and lifts. Arin hovers, in case Brian needs a hand. Suzy's so thin, though, that Brian has no problem carrying her. She lays her head on Brian's shoulder and mumbles her thanks.

In the wide back seat of the car, Arin tucks Suzy under his arm and talks to her sweetly. Brian sits on her other side, and Vernon and Barry sit across from them. Suzy's more alert during the drive home, more able to speak, and she chats surprisingly openly. Once they reach the house, Suzy insists on walking by herself, though she uses Arin's arm for support while she does. Next to Arin's broad form, Suzy looks particularly small, and Brian is one part furious and one part heartbroken looking at her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vernon's a naughty little pepper boy

Vernon and Suzy slip into the rest of the family easily. Vernon is likely to curl up to any of the boys at any given time, and he's so affectionate that Brian can't believe anyone could ever mistreat him. Suzy relates to the boys, too, having grown up with brothers and been bounced around from owner to owner and kept with all the boys.

Vernon really takes to Barry, however. Vernon is shy and anxious, and Barry's soft and sweet and the only boy his age. Barry shows him the ropes of living at the Wecht house, and because of how trusting Barry is of Brian, Vernon comes to trust him quickly as well. Brian also learns that Vernon gives amazing head and can take a cock in his ass like a champ.

The first time Vernon lets Brian fuck him is only about 10 days after Brian brought him home. Vernon had come to Brian one evening in the den, where Arin and Dan are huddled up on the sofa together and Brian is sat in a big, cozy armchair. Vernon's dressed in a soft, thin, white gown he had found in his closet, probably Brian's doing. Arin and Dan eye him neutrally before reengaging with each other, not paying the slightest bit of attention to Vernon and Brian. 

Brian, however, can see that Vernon isn't wearing anything under the gown and groans softly under his breath. Vernon climbs into his lap without preamble and tucks himself tight against Brian. His cock is still mostly soft, but Brian can feel just how warm it is against his stomach, and his hands find Vernon's waist with ease.

"Hey there, baby boy," Brian murmurs, leaning up to kiss the corner of Vernon's mouth. Vernon's already blushing and trying to hide his nerves behind soft giggles. "What are you doing, hm?"

Vernon tucks his face into the crook of Brian's neck. His face is hot and his breath is hotter. Brian can't help but shiver.

"Master hasn't broken me in yet," Vernon mumbles, his body suddenly trembling against Brian's. "Does Master not want me?"

"Baby," Brian breathes, frowning at the boy. "This isn't about what I want, ok? This is about having your consent."

"But I want Master to fuck me," Vernon whines. "For the first time ever, I have a Master I actually want."

Brian's cock twitches in his jeans, and he squeezes Vernon's hips. The boy is grinding his half hard cock against Brian's soft stomach and he's biting his lower lip when he pulls his face back from Brian's neck. When Vernon's hands slip down Brian's front and start working at Brian's belt, Brian doesn't do a thing, just watches Vernon's nervous movements. But then Vernon hikes his gown up and squirms to reposition Brian's cock, and next thing Brian knows, he's slipping into Vernon and meeting no resistance, already slick and hot.

"Oh, fuck, you naughty fucking boy," Brian moans, slipping his hands up Vernon's thighs. Vernon whimpers and rocks his hips steadily, hands gripping the front of Brian's shirt. Brian hauls him in closer to kiss the boy's face gently, while he simultaneously begins meeting each twitch of Vernon's hips with a thrust of his own. Suddenly, Vernon's absolutely wailing and falling limp against Brian's chest.

"Jesus, he's got a voice," Arin comments from across the room, and Vernon suddenly remembers Dan and Arin are there, watching him, and if he could flush any deeper a red, he would. He hides his face in the crook of Brian's neck and lets Brian absolutely pound his ass. A tight heat was building in the pit of his stomach, and he knew he was about to come, but before he could get the words out of his mouth, Brian hit his prostate with an especially brutal thrust and he was coming hard, against his stomach and the inside of his gown. He couldn't help the loud, high moan that was coming out of his mouth, but he could hear Brian grunting under him, and then feel the hot slickness of Brian coming inside of him and he slumped down against Brian's chest, completely boneless.

"What a good boy," Brian murmurs, stroking Vernon's hair with a soft hand. "God, you're so good for me."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian learns about a dark part of Danny's past

Dan was spread-eagle on his back in Brian's massive bed, completely nude.

 _Finally_ , Brian thought, and shoved his pants off and climbed onto the bed with the lanky man. It was almost second nature to settle himself between Dan's soft thighs, even though Dan's trembling just a bit. Brian kisses the man's cheek, and then his mouth, and his chin, his throat, his sternum. His hands were all over Dan's thighs and hips, stroking and scratching and grabbing.

It wasn't until Brian made to press a slick finger into Dan's tight hole that Dan whimpered and hid his face behind trembling hands.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Brian asked, brows furrowing, touching Dan's elbow gently. Dan shook his head, still hiding.

"C'mon, look at me," Brian urged and made to pull Dan's hands away from his face. Dan whined and pulled away from the grip.

"No, no no no, please, I'm sorry, I'll be good, don't hurt me," Dan stammered, tears running down his cheeks. His chest was heaving with each breath he took. Brian sat back on his heels, giving Dan the room he obviously needed.

"Sweet baby, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I'm sorry if I startled you. Can you tell me what I did wrong?"

Dan shook his head frantically and dove for Brian, tucking himself against Brian's chest. His breathing steadied a bit with his face hidden against Brian's skin and Brian's arms around him.

"He used to say that to me," Dan says, finally, after a few long moments. "My old Master. He, uh. Well." Dan swallows thickly, and Brian doesn't say a word, just strokes a calm hand through Dan's hair.

"He would hold me down," Dan continues, a few moments later. "On my back, he'd hold me down, and he'd grab me by my jaw and tell me ' _look at me when I'm fucking you_ ', especially when I tried to fight it, when it already hurt to have something inside me. When I didn't want it."

"Oh, baby," Brian breathes. "I'm so sorry for bringing that memory back up for you. Please, you don't have to do anything you don't want to, I just need to know why so I don't hurt you, ok?"

Dan nodded and slumped a little further against Brian, and let his master hold him tight for hours, into the evening. At some point, Dan fell asleep, and Brian couldn't for the life of him wake the boy, so he held him close and hummed softly to him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for a major injury and _a lot_ of blood

Brian wakes up suddenly to Matt and Ryan standing over him, Ryan shaking his shoulder frantically. Matt is trembling behind Ryan, his eyes wide and scared.

"What's going on? Matt, are you hurt?" Matt shakes his head, confused, and looks down to see the blood on his shirt.

"Bri, no, it's not us, c'mon, Danny found a boy out front, he's hurt real bad," Ryan tells him and his voice is shaky, something unusual for Ryan, the strong one of the pair before him.

Brian's up and out of bed in a heartbeat, tugging on shorts and a t-shirt with quick, practiced movements. He follows Matt and Ryan on swift feet down the stairs and out onto the front lawn, where he can see Danny's mass of hair from a distance. When they get closer, Brian can see a boy, maybe all of Ryan's age, cradled in Dan's arms. Steady, silent tears are streaming down Dan's face, but his voice is calm and clear.

"You're gonna be okay, I promise you," He's murmuring, and he's using one hand to hold what appears to be his own shirt against the boy's neck. It's stained deep, rusty red and there's blood on Dan's hands and his chest.

Brian digs his phone from his pocket with one hand while he crouches down in front of Dan. He calls 911 and puts his face in the boy's line of sight.

"Hey buddy, can you tell me your name?"

"Jack," the boy gasps.

"911, what's your emergency?" The operator asks in Brian's ear.

"I need an ambulance," Brian says, rambling off their address quickly.

"Don't let them take me back," Jack breathes, eyes fluttering. Brian realizes that the boy is weakly clawing at a heavy collar around his neck. "He'll kill me, don't let them take me back to him."

Brian unclasps the collar with quick, gentle fingers and tosses the offending item in the direction of the bush nearby. It falls into the foliage, out of sight, and Brian turns and places his hand over Dan's on the boy's neck and presses harder.

"I'm going to keep you safe, Jack, I promise."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack is welcome into the Wecht house - and lots of filler

Brian brings Jack home from the hospital the very next day, after Jack's been stitched up and given a blood transfusion and lots of liquids. Besides the deep gash in his neck, which missed his carotid artery by mere millimeters, he had three broken ribs and a couple bad bruises along his chest. Nothing that would keep him in the hospital any longer, though, and Brian was able to talk the hospital staff into letting him take Jack in.

Dan and Vernon are sitting in the living room together when Brian arrives home. Vernon's letting Dan hold him, the older man needing the grounding. He's truthfully a nervous wreck over this new boy, and he's not sure why. But when he sees the boy walking on his own behind Brian, he sighs in relief and loosens his hold on Vernon. 

Brian helps Jack settle into one of the big comfy arm chairs, and calls for everyone to join him. There are introductions and Dan ends up fussing over Jack when he winces from the pain in his side. Vernon gapes at Jack - the boy is handsome, with floppy dark hair and a smattering of dark stubble on his jaw, and his eyes are a captivating green that Vernon is immediately in love with.

Jack fits in almost right away. He's got a good front, and puts on a happy face for everyone, but his true personality shines through as well, and Brian knows he's made a good decision for the family. However, Brian can see just how exhausted Jack really is, and sends the family off and helps Jack up the stairs. For now, Jack is going to have his own room, because Vernon had moved into Barry's room for the time being. Brian was starting to run out of space in the house, and he needs to start rearranging. He makes a note to start planning out ideas as soon as he has Jack comfortable.

Jack has trouble getting comfortable, so Brian helps him into a position that takes pressure off his ribs and goes off to grab the prescription pain killers Jack had been given, and brings a few back to Jack for him to take, as well as the spare phone he always had on hand in case he has a new boy come in without notice, shows Jack where his number was, and gave the boy a kiss on the forehead before retreating downstairs to his office to start figuring out how he was going to get his family settled.

With 8 bedrooms and 10 people living under his roof, Brian has to reconsider living arrangements. Matt and Ryan share a room, and have since Brian brought them in, and he knows the two boys will never want to be separated, so that's one less room for him to worry about. The only room available, though, has Brian's keyboard, sax, and synthesizers in it, along with some low end recording equipment, and it's feasible for him to move that down to his office, though he'd have to do some major rearranging.

That evening, Brian enlists Ryan and Arin to help him carry the recording equipment downstairs to his office and set it up along the far side of his office. Then he grabs his instruments and brings them down to the office and immediately sits down at his desk and starts ordering things for the spare room. It'll take a couple days for everything to be delivered and set up, but Brian thinks they can handle it. He asks Jack what his favorite color is the next morning, and then goes out and buys a couple gallons of soft, green paint and sets about painting the white walls of the empty room.

Soon enough, Vernon's back in his own room, and Jack's been settled into a room of his own. Jack and Vernon get along like a house on fire, and Brian's pleased as punch, to be honest. Vernon's made a bit of a name for himself in the house. In fact, Brian had a tag made for his collar that simply read SLUT in big, bold letters. Vernon had blushed and giggled when he saw it. He's always desperate to be fucked and used, and he'll let anyone in the house use him as a glorified sex toy, but his relationship with Jack is different from the very start.

When Brian finds Jack and Vernon together, unsupervised, they're more likely to be curled up together and chatting than anything else, Vernon looking at Jack with stars in his eyes. Brian's fairly certain that Jack knows Vernon has a huge crush in him, because Jack will always turn a sly, crooked smile on Vernon when Jack catches him looking at him. It's cute, and Brian leaves them to their nervous flirting.


	10. Chapter 10

Suzy doesn't get it easy her first night in the master bedroom. She had been pushing boundaries and testing Brian's limits the days leading up to the night he had planned with her, so he requested Arin and Barry join him. Arin lit up like a Christmas tree when he learned about Brian's plan.

Suzy knocks on Brian's door at 8pm on the dot. When Brian calls for her to enter, she does so, dressed exactly as Brian had requested. The sheer black gown doesn't do anything to hide her form, all soft curves, and contrasts sharply with her pale skin. Her collar sits around her throat, heavy and dark, no adornments besides the sturdy D-ring set in the front. Her hair falls softly over her shoulders, the newly bleached streak standing out against her naturally dark hair. Arin had requested one as well as soon as he had seen Suzy's.

She stands, silent and submissive, at the foot of the bed, waiting for Brian's command. Brian himself is dressed only in a pair of dark boxers, and for the first time since Arin came into Brian's possession, he's self-conscious about his body. Lord knows he wasn't as active as he probably should be, but it's this moment that he realizes he's a lot softer than he should be, softer than is pleasant - unlike Arin, who's soft, but all dense muscle underneath. It's also this moment that he finally realizes how weird his life is. He's 41, old enough to be Matt and Ryan's father, but here's Suzy, all of 26, and the shame of how attractive he finds her is hot on his face.

"Are you okay, Bri?" Suzy murmurs, her eyebrows furrowed, one hand reaching towards Brian on the bed. He squashes down his own issues for a moment and smiles.

"Yeah, I'm ok, I'm sorry, I got lost in my own head for a second. Come here, my sweet girl."

Suzy climbs up onto the bed and settles herself in Brian's lap. His cock is already stirring in interest with Suzy's warmth pressed against him. Closer now, Suzy looks shy, almost nervous, and it's his turn to fuss.

"Everything ok, darling? We don't have to do this if you're not ready." Brian cups her cheek with one of his wide hands and strokes his thumb over her soft skin. Suzy shakes her head, almost frantically.

"I want to, it's just," she pauses suddenly and bites her lower lip. "I was a trophy piece. My old master bought my twin sister and I when we were 16, because we were young and pretty. But we were trophies - you can look, but you don't touch. No one did. Not even him. But Jean and I, we got bored. So we started playing a game. To see who could seduce someone on the grounds first. And the next thing I knew, I was having regular sex with one of the stable boys and Jean was screwing around with a bunch of the servant boys when we got caught. They sent Jean off to Seattle, as a gift for a CEO. I was put on the market here."

"Well," Brian replies, his voice low and husky. "I'll agree that you're too pretty for words, but I can't promise I'll be able to keep my hands off you."

Suzy giggles and when Brian's hands slip up her plush thighs, she grins harder and grinds her hot cunt against Brian's ever thickening erection. 

"You naughty little kitten," Brian growls, and flips her over onto her back, crowding in close to her to nip at her throat and collarbone, gentle hands exploring her soft skin. His hips are rutting against her unconsciously, and she hums and moves with him, warming up to the situation quickly.

Brian hikes up Suzy's gown and slides down her body and groans when he comes face to face with her smooth, clean shaven pussy. She smells hot and absolutely delectable, so Brian finds himself face first in her cunt, eating her out like a starving man. Suzy moans beautifully under Brian's touch, and tangles her fingers in his hair. He hums against her, making her arch her back.

There's a knock at the door. Brian pulls away to shout a "come in!" over his shoulder. Barry and Arin let themselves in, while Brian leans up to murmur in Suzy's ear.

"I have a big plan for you tonight," he rasps and she shivers. Brian directs her onto her knees, pressing her face down in Arin's crotch. "You better get him nice and wet," Brian warns her, and she can hear the grin in his voice and whines before wrapping her lips around Arin's already dripping cock. 

Suzy startles when slick fingers press against her asshole. She relaxes though when Brian shushes her and rubs her back gently. He stretches her easily while Suzy blows Arin sloppily, spit and precome coating his dick. 

When Brian deems her open enough, he swaps places with Arin and has Suzy sink down on his cock. She hums and follows Brian's hands when he pulls her down against his chest. Then, behind her, Suzy feels the slick, blunt head of Arin's cock pressing into her ass. She whines - she's so full, pressed between Brian and Arin and it feels so good. Then she realizes Barry's standing off to the side, slowly stroking his own cock, watching the proceedings. Brian gestures him into Suzy's range, and she cranes to get her lips around his cock. Barry strokes her hair softly and thrusts into her hot mouth almost gently.

Suzy holds up for a long while, despite being completely overwhelmed by the men around her. Brian's sweet talking her and Arin's touching her all over, and she comes twice before Arin unloads in her ass. 

"Come all over that sweet little face," Brian growls up at Barry, reaching up to roll the boy's balls his hand, and Barry jerks back out of Suzy's mouth and lets his hand fly over his own dick and comes hard, painting Suzy's face in thick stripes. Brian all but jackknives upright to clean Suzy's face with his hot tongue before allowing her to share the taste with him while he chases his own relief. He groans when she squeezes around him and comes hard inside of her.

Brian and Arin work together to settle Suzy on her back on the mattress. She's panting and red and boneless, and Brian strokes gentle fingers through her hair while directing Arin and Barry to start cleaning her up, sending them off in their separate ways. Arin returns quickly with a wash cloth, and wipes away her sweat and running makeup before he swipes it along her cunt and asshole. Barry turns up after, with a new set of sheets, and while Brian holds Suzy close to his chest on the floor, Barry and Arin remake the bed with clean sheets. 

"Do you want us to leave, or can we stay with you tonight?" Arin asks, his voice almost timid. He knew Brian generally liked to spend the night alone with a new boy for the first time, and had no idea how this plan transferred over to their first girl in the house.

"You're more than welcome to stay, baby girl," Brian hums happily, settling in the center of the bed on his back, and allowing Suzy to curl up against his side. Arin beams, and climbs up behind Suzy, his big frame almost completely encompassing her. Brian runs soft fingers through his hair. Barry flips the light off with a fond grin and hops in beside Brian. The four sleep relatively easily, despite Brian's snoring.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for violence

Brian's waist deep in work when his thoughts are interrupted by the buzzer going off by the front door. He frowns; they're not expecting anyone, and this causes a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, so makes his way out of his office.

"I'll get it!" Ross calls from the kitchen.

"Don’t!" Brian exclaims, his voice terse. Ross freezes, eyes wide. He sees the concern and confusion on Brian's face and nods. Brian pulls Ross close and kisses his forehead. "Get everyone rounded up and head down into the cellar. Something's wrong." Ross nods again, this time shakily, and tears off into the den. 

Brian ducks back into his office, and is quick to open the locked top drawer of his desk. Sitting inside is his .45 Ruger 1911, a loaded magazine, and a single box of ammunition. It was an emergency only weapon, and not a single one of his boys knew it existed. If Brian were honest, he'd like to keep it that way. He's quick to insert the magazine into the pistol and chamber a round. After a second check to make sure the safety was still on, he slides the gun into the back of his waistband and tugs his shirt down over it.

Arin and Ross are directing everyone down the cellar stairs when Brian returns. It was almost a panic room, something Brian had had specially made when the house was built, just in case, with the door hidden behind one of the bookcases in the den. Arin makes to close to door after Ross files down the stairs, but Brian stops him.

"You go, too. I can handle this."

Arin hesitates, and then kisses Brian before following the others down the stairs. Brian closes the door, and after hearing the lock click on Arin's side, he tugs on the bookcase to make sure everything's secure.

Brian hustles back to the front door, where the buzzer had continued to chime every few seconds since he failed to answer the first time. Making sure the chain is in place, he unlocks the deadbolt and pulls the door open a few inches. Outside, three large men are waiting. Two are standing near the steps, but the third is the one standing at the door itself. He has big, brutish hands and a deep scar across his face that has him blind in one eye.

"Can I help you, sir?" Brian greets, remaining as calm as possible.

"You seen this kid?" The man responds, holding up a photo that Brian immediately recognizes as Jack. He looks thin and sallow, but it's him.

"Can't say I have," Brian returns, feigning ignorance. The man must see some slip up on his face, because he presses the door open further and sticks his head in towards the gap in the door.

"Look, I know you took 'im. I know you took 'im from the hospital, but 'e ain't fuckin yours." The man's voice is low and threatening, and a shudder runs down Brian's spine.

"Listen, sir, I think you're mistaken, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I swear to Christ, you hand 'im over or I'm comin' in there and getting 'im my damn self."

When Brian shakes his head in response, the man rears back and slams one massive foot into the door. The chain pulls out of the drywall and the heavy door smacks off another wall. Brian's fairly sure there's probably a dent in the wall, at least. One of the men on the porch follows him into the house, and the other plants himself in the open doorway.

"Sir, you can either get out of my house now, or I'll call the police."

"Do you think cops are gonna do jack shit? Now give us the paddy bastard or we'll tear your house apart lookin' for 'im!"

Brian pulls the gun and flicks off the safety in one swift motion. He has it leveled at the man's head and a scowl on his face.

"I have no issues putting a bullet in your head if you don't get out of my house."

The man raises his hands, surprisingly, with his eyebrows thrown up in shock. However, his cohort makes a move towards Brian, and Brian whips in his direction and pulls the trigger instinctively and the man hits the ground, holding the fresh wound in his shoulder, blood spilling over his fingers. He exclaims, in what could be frustration or pain or both, and Brian turns his aim back on the leader.

"Are you ready to make your decision?" Brian snarls.

The man looks between Brian and his friend - who is currently lying on the floor, moaning in pain. 

"Listen, man, I just want my boy back."

"You're not getting him back. You nearly killed him, and that tells me you don't deserve him. He's a good kid, smart and sweet, and he deserves to be treated as such. You fucking come around here again, and you won't walk away." 

The man nods frantically, and when Brian gestures with the muzzle of the handgun, he rushes to haul his friend upright and help him out the front door. After the three men are out of sight, Brian closes the front door and locks the deadbolt and slumps down against the wall. He's exhausted, to be honest, but his family is safe, so he can't really be upset. 

After making his rounds through the house, to make sure no one had gotten in any other way, he retreats to his office, unloads the gun and tucks it back away in the locked drawer of his desk. He takes another second to breathe, to calm down, before he heads back to the den and to the bookcase, pulling a handful of books off the shelf to bare the back. He knocks, the pattern he had established with Arin and Ross early on, as an all clear. He can hear them clamping up the stairs, and the lock clicks open before the door slides open and Arin's standing before him. Brian lets himself fall against his boy's sturdy frame, exhausted to his very core.


	12. Chapter 12

Danny finally initiates sex with Brian, after the incident with Jack's previous owner. Brian had taken a nap on the couch in the den, with Arin sitting at his feet on full alert, while Dan cooked dinner. No one would tell him who cleaned the blood from the foyer floor. All he knows is that he was woken up for a meal of chicken and rice before being escorted off to bed by Vernon. 

A few days later, in the early morning, Dan had slipped into Brian's bedroom. Brian wakes up when Dan settles against him, though he doesn't really come fully awake. Dan's hands start wandering, and Brian dozes on and off. He knows he's getting hard, but it's not urgent, it's more like a side thought. He feels Dan slipping Brian out of clothing, and he feels Dan's slender fingers dancing along his hips and thighs and balls as though through a haze.

When the heat around his cock is slick and tight, he comes a bit more alert. His eyes flutter open to look up at Dan, seated on his lap. He's biting his lower lip and rocking his hips and the scene before Brian makes the older man moan deep in his chest. Dan's hands are in his own hair, gathering his mop of curls at the base of his skull. He tilts his head back and moans, loud and high, when Brian thrusts up into him.

"Bri! Oh, shit, Bri!" Dan whines, and his fingers are tightening and pulling in his curls and his blush is bleeding down his chest. Brian reaches out and drags his nails along Dan's thighs and the boy whimpers in response, so Brian does it again. Every breath is a small gasp, and through his sleep-hazy eyes, Brian can see how Dan's chest is heaving and his eyes are rolling back into his skull, so Brian wraps a rough hand around Dan's cock.

"Ah!" Dan cries and his whole body spasms when he comes, painting Brian's stomach and chest in his release. Brian follows closely afterwards, Dan contracting around him pulling his orgasm out of him.

Dan slumps down against Brian's chest and heaves in breaths. Brian strokes a gentle hand up and down Dan's thin back, murmuring his praise to the boy. He can feel Dan's smile against his skin.


	13. Chapter 13

The family is out when tragedy strikes. Brian took them to the natural history museum, thick collars locked around each of their necks. Brian was teaching Matt and Ryan about space when Arin grabs his arm from behind. Brian turns around to see the panicked looked on Arin's face. Dan's behind him, eyes darting all over the room.

"I can't find Jack and Vernon," Arin gasps, his voice wavering. Brian's immediately on full alert, gathering his family around him. He gets in contact with museum staff and starts asking around. When the two boys don't turn up within the first hour, Brian steps outside to contact local police. 

It takes police three days to find Vernon and Jack. Halfway between the museum and the Wecht house is a derelict Victorian owned by an Italian mobster. In the basement are four young men, chained to the wall side by side. Two of them were Jack and Vernon. The other two were a matching pair, one with red hair and the other green. None of the four are in great shape, though, and Brian ends up seeing his boys for the first time in days in a hospital examination room, both clutching to the other. 

During their initial interview with detectives, Jack babbles away while Vernon holds onto his sleeve and stares off into space. He flinches when Brian moves to touch him, and he doesn't say a word for at least 36 hours. Vernon ends up writing his statement to the police down on printer paper with a shaky hand, because he can't bring himself to speak. Jack tells Brian, after the cops file out of their room, that Vernon hasn't spoken since day one of their imprisonment.

Brian starts panicking. Of course he does. Vernon had admitted to him that his previous owner had sometimes kept him chained up for days on end, was told that a good boy was seen and not heard. It had been psychologically damaging, and being thrown back into that situation had probably screwed him up pretty good.

The second morning in the hospital, Brian jerks awake at the sound of Vernon's voice, rough and barely audible over the EKG beeping in the background.

"Bri," Vernon whimpers, reaching for him with a wobbly lower lip and tears in his eyes. Brian's on his feet so fast his head spins, but that doesn't stop him from moving to Vernon's side and grabbing his hand tenderly.

"Hey, baby boy, I'm right here, you're alright, you're safe." Brian strokes Vernon's hair tenderly, his eyebrows furrowed. "I'm here, don't worry, everything's going to be alright."

"Bri, please, don't let them take me away again," he whines, tears suddenly streaming down his face and his entire body trembling with such force that Brian's worried he might hurt himself. Brian cradles Vernon close to his chest and shushes him gently. 

"I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me ever again," Brian murmurs, his voice low and gravely. He presses his forehead against Vernon's, forcing the boy to stare up at him. "I promise you, I'm never letting you out of my sight again, and they'll have to kill me to get to you."

Vernon's sobs fall off into soft hiccups, which eventually die away, too, when the boy falls back asleep, tucked close to Brian's chest.


End file.
